Package and display device



Sept. 17, 1963 R. G. BOWMAN PACKAGE AND DISPLAY DEVICE Filed April 14 1961 fig-J INVENTOR BY ROBERT C. BOWMAN PM S. 6017a,

ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,104,011 PACKAGE AND DISPLAY DEVICE Robert G. Bowman, Darien, Conn, assignor to The C. R. Gibson & Company, Nor-walk, Conn, a corporation of Connecticut Filed Apr. 14, 1961, Ser. No. 103,078 1 Claim. (Cl. 206-4533) This invention relates to a package and display device. More particularly the invention relates to the type of display package which is suspended from a display stand.

Display packages are available which may be suspended by an eyelet or other means provided in the package and some of such devices have transparent portions so that the contents of the package may be seen from the exterior of the package. In some of the packages having transparent sides the purpose is to allow inspection of the goods without opening the package.

However, with certain types of products it is necessary to remove them from the package for further inspection or for separate sale apart from the other products in the package. For such products it is necessary to provide a package which may serve as an attractive display package and also may be opened and reclosed without damaging the package, or the means for suspending the package. It has also been difficult to remove the suspending means from the package when desired at the time of sale.

Therefore, it is an important object of this invention to provide a display package which may be suspended and which may be readily opened and reclosed for inspection of the contents.

Another object is to provide a display package which will not be damaged by opening and reclosing and which after sale may continue to serve as a convenient storage container for the products contained therein.

Additional objects and advantages will be appreciated from the description of the invention.

The invention contemplates generally a display package comprising a supporting element having a front, a back, a connecting bottom portion and a transparent envelope adapted to receive the supporting element in sliding relationship through an opening in the envelope, the goods being received between the front and back portions and being supported by the bottom portion, the envelope being slidably displaceable for inspection of the goods contained in the package. The package is maintained in assembled position by the pressure of the goods in the package, and the package may be opened by slight inward pressure against the front and back of the package and sliding the envelope and supporting element with respect to each other.

For a more complete description of the invention reference is made to the drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a display package embodying the invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan of the supporting element of the display package showing the fold lines;

FIG. 3 is a side view of the package in closed position;

FIG. 4 is a side view of the package partially opened for inspection of the contents; and

FIG. 5 is a rear view of the display package.

The display package of this invention is formed of a supporting element and a transparent envelope 11. The supporting element is comprised of a back portion and a front flap portion 16, the front and back portions being connected by an intermediate or bottom portion 17. The supporting element is folded from a blank as shown in plan view in FIG. 2, along the broken lines, thus defining the back, front and bottom portions. Eyelet 18 may be cut in the upper part of the back portion Patented Sept. 17, 1963 Ice 15 as a convenient means of hooking or otherwise attaching the package to a display rack.

The width of the bottom portion 17 defines the distance between the back and front portions when said portions are folded into the position in which they are used in the package. This position is illustrated in FIGS. 1, 3 and 4, the front and back portions 15 and 16 being substantially parallel to each other and spaced apart by the width of the bottom portion 17. The size or number of the goods to be contained in the display package normally will determine the width of the bottom element. For example, in the drawings the display pack age is designed to contain greeting cards and envelopes. The package is also suitable for containing stationery notes and other items of stationery and is adapted to various types of other products in which it is desirable to display the goods as well as permit inspection prior to purchase.

The transparent envelope 1 1 is provided with an opening in its top which is of sufficient size so that the supporting member 10 may be positioned inside of the envelope as shown in FIGS. 1, 3, 4 and 5, the envelope acting to maintain the front and back portions. of the supporting element in substantially parallel relation and to retain the cards against the back portion, exerting a slight pressing action against the several cards and envelopes supported on the bottom 17 and held between the front flap 16 and the back portion 15.

The transparent envelope is also provided with a fiap member 20 which may be folded over the top of the cards and envelopes contained in the package and tucked in behind the last card or envelope in the pack-age, as best shown in FIG. 3.

So that there will be clear vision of the cards or other goods contained in the package, and to present a heater appearance, the transparent envelope is designed with the connecting seams 21, 212 at the back of the package when the package is assembled, as shown in FIGS. The front flap 16 of the supporting member may be provided with advertising copy or other information concerning the goods.

While the length of the front flap, as will be noted in the embodiment illustrated, is shorter than the back portion of the supporting element, it can be of greater or less height than that shown in the drawings. However, it is desirable that the front flap be of sufiicient height so as to restrain the bottom edges of the cards and envelopes in the display package from the supporting bottom portion 17.

It will be noted that with the display package of this invention formed in the manner described, the weight of the contents of the package is supported by the supporting element 10 which may be of heavy paper, cardboard, or some material sufiiciently strong to bear the weight of the contents of the package, the supporting element being held in its supporting sling formed of the back 15, bottom 17 and front 16 portions, as best shown in FIGS. 1, 3 and 4, by the lateral restraining action of the transparent envelope 1-1.

The transparent envelope is maintained in the assembled position as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3 by friction and the outward pressure of the contents of the package exerting pressure against the inner walls of the envelope 11. Also, when the flap 20 is in the position shown in FIGS. 1 and 3 it prevents the envelope from being displaced from the supporting element 10*. However, when it is desired to inspect the contents of the display package this can be done readily by applying slight pressure against the front and back of the package at about the center thereof; and by pulling downwardly on the transparent envelope while holding the supporting member by the portion adjacent eyelet 18, the package be caused to open into the position shown in FIG. 4. By moving the flap 20 out of the way the cards or other contents of the display package may be easily grasped and removed from the package for inspection and'the package may be returned to its closed position by sliding the envelope from the position shown in FIG. 4 to the position shown in FIGS. 1 and 3 and by re-inserting or tucking the flap 20 between the last card or envelope in the package and the back portion of the supporting member. In closing the package slight pressure should again be exerted against the contents while sliding the envelope into position to compress the contents and make it easier for the envelope to be slid into the closed position.

From the foregoing it will be appreciated that this invention achieves the objects set out above, of providing a display package which may be suspended and which may be readily opened and reclosed for inspection of the contents without destroying or damaging the package in such opening and reclosing.

It will also be understood that after the sale of the package the purchaser may use the package for storage purposes and continue to open and close the package to obtain access to the contents from time to time.

in accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes, the principle of operation of this invention, together with the elements which are now considered to constitute a preferred embodiment thereof, are described, but it should be understood that the structure disclosed is only illustrative and the invention can be carried out by other means. Also, while it is designed to use the various features and elements in the combinations and relations described, some of these may be altered and modified without interfering with the more general results outlined.

What is claimed is:

A protective display package comprising a plurality of rectilinear items, a supporting member therefor having a planar back portion of a longitudinal dimension greater than that of said items, a planar front portion of a longitudinal dimension appreciably less than that of said items disposed in substantially parallel facing relationship with said back portion and spacedtberefrom a distance suflicient to accommodate the interposition of said items therebetween and a bottom portion connecting said front and back portions and forming an item supporting surface disposed intermediate the facing surfaces of said front and back portions, a fully open-ended slidably longitudinally displaceable sleeve member disposed in surrounding relationship with said supporting member and items supported thereon, said sleeve member being of longitudinal dimension substantially equal to that of said items and being circumferentially sized to maintain said front and back portions of said supporting member in substantially parallel relation, and a terminal flap integral with said sleeve at the open end thereof and extending sufiiciently beyond the open end of said sleeve to fold said flap over the top of said rectilinear items and to insert the free end thereof intermediate the back portion of said supporting member and the adjacent surface of the rectilinear item adjacent said back portion to cover the exposed ends of said rectilinear item and to aid in maintaining said sleeve in position, said items being exposed for ready removal from said support by withdrawing the free end of said flap to uncover the upper ends of said items and sliding said sleeve downwardly to expose a sufiicient portion of the items for ready removal of one or more of the same.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,733,998 Rosen Oct. 29, 1929 2,518,711 Mulford Aug. 15, 1950 2,728,515 Haire Dec. 27, 1955 2,923,401 Hagar Feb. 2, 1960 3,011,689 Korn et a1. Dec. 5, 1961 

